Monument record WLG 024 - Sicklesmere Gravel Pit, Sicklesmere, (Palaeolithic)

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Summary

Palaeolithic animal bones, mammoth tusk and palaeolithic flint hand-axe in post-medieval gravel pit.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 876 605 (247m by 171m)
Map sheet TL86SE
Civil Parish GREAT WHELNETHAM, ST EDMUNDSBURY, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

19th Century: Former large gravel pit to west 'of the high road' produced a mammoth tusk and bones of rhinoceros, horse, deer and bison. Bones at '18ft from surface'(S1,S2).

Rolled items mentioned by Wymer suggested to have come from here. Including a chopping tool, a crude pointed handaxe, a crude scraper and a levallois flake (S1, S2).

Rhino tooth mentioned in 1858, (S3).

The finds from WLL 008, WLG 024, and WLG 042, do not have definite provenance. They have been assigned on the basis of discussion by Wymer (S2). Any discussion of Palaeolithic finds from Sicklesmere should consider all of these sites/records, (S4).

It should be noted that the "flat butted cordate" claimed by Wyner (S2), has been seen. It does not really qualify as being of this form and is unlikely to be of Late Middle Palaeolithic age, (S4, S5).

Sources/Archives (5)

  • <S1> Finds Report: Pendleton, C.. 2008. Sicklesmere Gravel Pit, Great Whelnetham.
  • <S2> Bibliographic reference: Wymer, J.J.. 1985. Palaeolithic Sites of East Anglia. 140-142.
  • <S3> Article in serial: 1863. Proceedings at the Meetings of the Institute..
  • <S4> Personal Correspondence: Cutler, Hannah. 2019. Personal Observations as part of the Enhancement of the Suffolk HER for the Palaeolithic & Mesolithic Periods project.
  • <S5> Unpublished document: Cutler, Hannah. 2013. Understanding Late Middle Palaeolithic Neandertal Landscape-use during Short-Term Occupations in Britain.

Finds (8)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Record last edited

Oct 1 2020 10:33AM

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